Results 301 - 320 of 729
|
||||||
Results from: Notes Author: charis Ordered by Date |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
301 | Do you think US has these people? | 2 Tim 3:5 | charis | 24792 | ||
Dear coop1, Greetings and peace in Jesus' name! I know that you feel that you are a 'voice crying out in the wilderness,' but I can't help thinking that you are misjudging a lot of good saints. I don't think anyone is 'supporting' war. It seems that you believe that we are all blind to the things of God. I assure you that we are a spiritual people that also recognize the social responsibility that the Lord has given us. We are not 'brandishing weapons with bloodlust,' but simply using these tools to contain the violent and bring them to justice. (I'm not sure what my 'distasteful attitude' is?) Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
302 | Do you think US has these people? | 2 Tim 3:5 | charis | 24764 | ||
Dear coop1, Peace upon you in Jesus' name! My sister in Christ, I think you are proceeding with your rant against America with the grave misunderstanding that it is a theocracy. America has never been a theocracy. There has never been a true theocracy in the history of mankind. America is a democracy, rule by fallible and sometimes sinful people. We hope that many of the decisions made by our leaders are made with a right heart, one that wants to serve God while serving the people entrusted to them. America also has a lot of responsibility to help provide an atmosphere of peace so that wanton violence and terrorism do not rule the world. Please, please stop your political activism on this forum. While it is true that America has it's problems and sins and compromise, trust me when I say that America provides an environment for serving God unavailable anywhere else in the world! I have traveled around a bit, and can vouch for my country. As countries go, you are blessed. Serve the Lord, serve His church, and submit to the land that God has blessed you with. If you were to go around the world, you would surely find that you are able to reconcile these things better in America than anywhere else you might go. As to your unkind words for our president, remember that he is a political officer. But he has also proclaimed Christ Jesus in a manner unlike any president in along time! He is not a priest, a pastor, or an elder in the church, but a leader of the government. As exhorted in the Bible, I pray that the Lord would guide him in wisdom and truth by the Holy Spirit. Please reconsider your attitude toward God in this matter, and find peace for your soul. In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
303 | Do you understand me? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24566 | ||
Dear Johnny, You have asked me for Scripture that speaks of the need to punish evildoers. I have stated often that it is common sense and submission to authority that speaks to us. These have been posted several times, and our colleague 'stjones' (aka Indiana Jones, aka yet-another-Steve) wrote of Romans 13:3-5 on November 22nd. Actually, the context, Romans 13:1-7 gives a broader picture. It is not a question of whether we, as Christians, should take vengeance and kill other people or not. No one, that I know of, is arguing FOR this. The question is whether God punishes evildoers through His agents, the earthly authorities He has set in place. Discipline and order are common sense, clearly spoken of in the Book of Proverbs. They are not the Law, or Old Testament only, they are the wisdom of God for all generations. "The king's favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully." Proverbs 14:35 NASB Also, we find Jesus speaking about the wrath of a master toward an evil servant in Matthew 24:45-51. In any case, it is obvious that God requires us to be good and responsible citizens. Some may even serve in the military without becoming bloodthirsty warmongers. It is possible to 'serve the king' of your land without becoming evil, because God has given the king of a land authority to punish evildoers. I pray this is 'another topic.' In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
304 | How do we open eyes to truth? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24557 | ||
Johnny, Trust that I am not angry. But I am tired of repeating myself. I do not like or enjoy war. Do you understand me? I do not hate my enemies. Did you hear that? I do not want to kill all my enemies. Can you grasp my words? Please listen for a moment instead of just spewing forth sentimental nonsense. God commands us to discipline our children. God commands us to enforce discipline and order in His church. God commands us not to sin. God says that there is a social consequence to sin. God commands that we obey common law and the specific law of the land He has given us. Every civilized nation on earth requires that just punishment be meted out to those are violent and anti-social. There is a difference between 'fighting back' and taking defensive measures. God commands us to be meek AND wise in our dealings with the world. Please answer: Would you let your child spit in your face, just because he wanted to? If a man with a gun came to your home and shot dead your child, would you offer your wife to him next, or just leave your family altogether and run to the mountains? Would you like to go to the prisons and unconditionally release all the murderers and rapists and violent criminals? Please, don't qualify each answer with a long discourse about turning the other cheek or loving your enemy, just answer 'yes' or 'no.' If you answered 'yes' to these three questions, then the discussion is truly at an end. If you answered 'no' to all three, then maybe your 'theory' is not practical. Truly, *in the church* I will uphold every verse of Scripture that you quote. However, in dealing with an ever-escalating world of violence, it is irresponsible to just run to the mountains or ignore crime as if it were none of your business. In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
305 | Where is your faith? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24494 | ||
Dear coop1, Well, DUH! All war is political. At least we now know that YOUR agenda is a political one. :-) In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
306 | Where is your faith? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24488 | ||
Dear coop1, You know, I have not once cast doubt on your faith or 'wondered about you.' I must say that your implications regarding my faith and spirituality are rude. I count it spiritual arrogance to consider your stand 'spiritual' while others are not. I envy your total confidence that you are right with God. Though I trust God unwaveringly, I have never come to the conclusion that I am worthy of righteousness. I, for one, have had enough of your musings, assumptions, and oblique accusations of 'blood lust' and warmongering. Not once have I said that war is good or Godly or fun. I simply note that discipline and justice are necessary for any kind of social order, and that God has commanded us to obey the laws of the land He has given us. By the way, I do not 'agree with the unbeliever' about this matter. That is an incindiary comment, unworthy of one who names Christ as Lord. We are strangers in a strange land, yes! But, for a time we ARE here! There are some religions that teach that the physical world is not real, it is but an illusion. Christianity is not one of them. I assure you that though we are to look toward heaven on this journey, we are to keep our feet firmly attached to the ground until He releases us from our temporal walk. Peace in Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
307 | Where is your faith? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24466 | ||
Dear coop1, Greetings in Jesus' name! You may note that I have never denied the import of prayer or spiritual warfare. Please trust that I am fully aware of the things you speak of, and an ardent participant in the things of the Holy Spirit. I know that we must love and forgive our enemies, and I believe that I have made progress in this area. :-) But we cannot love and forgive to the point of ignoring the victims of anti-social behavior. Therefore, all crime and sin must have consequence in the here and now. Truly, I believe that the Lord can apprehend even the most hardened criminal. On earth, I cannot judge these things, I give them to He who will judge. In the meantime, I am charged to obey the laws of the land that has been given me. Don't misinterpret my zeal for justice as personal revenge. This is NOT the case! It is simply that I am capable of walking in the spiritual realm AT THE SAME TIME that I perceive and walk in the natural realm. BOTH are required of us. :-) Blessings and peace in Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
308 | How do we open eyes to truth? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24345 | ||
Dear coop! Are you accusing me of hate because I want to bring known terrorists to justice? I do not hate them at all! I do, however, despise and condemn their actions. War is not necessarily hatred of people, at least not in my case. I appreciate your concern for me, though :-) Yes, I do love my enemies. I also love the victims of senseless violence. I am afraid that social responsibility dictates that I bring such perpetrators to justice, including capital punishment, if warranted. You have said that you are in favor of capturing and caging evildoers. Has it occured to you that it is not very easy to do this? Such men would rather die, and in fact consider themselves heroes and martyrs for such a death. Im afraid that your plan won't work, though in theory it is desired. You seem to think my viewpoint is too earthly. I prefer the term practical. I see your thoughts as emotional or humanistic, but I'm sure that you consider them to be spiritual. :-) Blessings to you, and thanks to your son for serving his country! In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
309 | Where is your faith? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24337 | ||
Dear coop1, Greetings in the name of Jesus! I really don't think that I am misunderstanding you at all. I just don't agree that murderers and terrorists are victims, nor do I think that we are the same as them to pursue civil and social justice. Indeed there IS a battle in the spiritual realm, one that I participate in continually. But we are talking about a temporal, present-day, real, physical battle against those that are determined to snuff us out! I believe that we have a God-commanded social responsibility to defend our freedom. I do not think that we should 'go into the mountains' as one poster wrote, nor do I believe that we should 'just' pray for these people and 'not lift a finger.' Are we to just forgive drunk drivers that kill innocents, too? Are we to not discipline children that bully others? Are we to just allow 'whatever' to happen? No! We are taught in the Bible to discipline those who sin. Sadly, in order to discipline someone holding a loaded gun, we must hold a similar weapon. Of course, we should pray for wisdom and divine help that we would not have to use our weapon. Often, this prayer is answered. But at times, there is no reasoning. Sad, but a civic and social reality. Sacrifice is fine, but foolishness and irresponsibility are not pleasing to God. It would seem that we have arrived at an impasse. Peace in Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
310 | "Once Saved Always Saved" | NT general Archive 1 | charis | 24318 | ||
Dear Brian, And His name is Jesus, the Christ! There are those that seek false gods 'with all their heart,' but this is of no merit before God. By the way, Norrie is correct that the Roman Catholic church considers themselves to have a monopoly on salvation. Even though their catechism may seem to provide loopholes for those of 'other' faith, I assure you that they still hold that the Pope holds the keys to the kingdom through apostolic succession, and that he is the infallible vicar (substitute) of Christ on earth. Also, they clearly imply that baptism into (membership in) the church is necessary for 'guaranteed' salvation. (whatever that means) Additionally, but to what degree I am not sure, partaking in the Eucharist and giving confession are commonly considered necessary to be in the 'good graces' of God through His church. To sum up, I would say that rather than looking at the somewhat mealy-mouthed catechismal teachings, I would pay attention to what the Pope affirms. I would say that I have seen no backing down whatsoever in the doctrine of papal authority. Again, His name is Jesus, and He is the Christ. In Him, charis |
||||||
311 | Isn't Prophecy a Spiritual Gift? | Isaiah | charis | 24317 | ||
Dear casiv, No, Malachi is NOT the last prophet. The Lord Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest and King. I believe that His revelations to mankind come after Malachi. John the Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation, which is most assuredly prophecy. Your statement is not in accord with Scripture. In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
312 | How do we open eyes to truth? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24313 | ||
Dear Johnny, Again I become weary with your 'challenging' style of stating your opinions. You say that you are not giving personal thoughts but Bible truth. How arrogant! No, I don't have to get into a Scripture tit-for-tat with you, especially when you use verses out of context and only from the translation that suits your purposes. The correct rendering of Luke 3:14 would be more like, 'Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."' (NASB) The context of this verse does not tell soldiers not to fight, but to treat those in the nation they occupy fairly and without personal greed. The Bible does not tell you specifically to breathe, either, but I suggest that you continue. Please do not say that you are speaking as a "true Christian" implying that those that disagree with you are not. In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
313 | How do we open eyes to truth? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24295 | ||
Dear Johnny, Please do not say that those who defend themselves or their country through military service are in the same category as the 'fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters' as you quoted from 1 Corinthians. I am truly offended that you would say this. Without the heroic efforts of many 'defenders' you could be living in the southern province of Japan! I'm sorry to be so crude, but it is very easy to denounce the military while living in a free country. The war on terrorism going on now is not a war of faith. It is a war against hate and violence. Those that die at the hands of terrorists are not martyrs or 'killed in their faith.' Their lives are stolen in wanton acts of cowardice and violence. To bring the murderers to justice is just that, justice. In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
314 | Where is your faith? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24294 | ||
Dear coop1, Blessings in the name of Jesus! You see, satan has already been granted authority over the earth. Presently death and sin reign here, except in the hearts of those who know Jesus. One day, our Lord will return and reclaim His creation, but until that day, we are strangers in a strange land. "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16 NASB We are commanded to be meek (like Jesus) AND shrewd as serpents. To me, this speaks of a bit of common sense and propriety. Pacifism to the point of fatalism does not seem wise. Please, do not portray military personnel as 'consumed by evil,' 'slaughterers,' or holding 'a gruesome satisfaction in killing and war.' I have never met such a person except in the civilian community. My own family and military acquaintances are anything but warmongers, but always pray for peace, first. But when common sense and mutual respect break down to the point of violence, these men and women are courageous enough to put their lives on the line for such as you and me. You seem to be calling any military action 'aggression,' while at the same time relegating the victims of terrorism or violence to 'bad karma' or perhaps a strange form of Christian martyrdom. I may one day be called to sacrifice my life for the sake of the name of Christ. This I will do gladly. But I cannot 'surrender' willingly and to a psychopath simply to 'show' my faith, nor will I allow my family to come to harm and say "sho-ga-nai" and blame God. ("sho-ga-nai" means 'nothing can be done') I am sorry that you are angry, truly I am. This is but one man's opinion. In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
315 | How do we open eyes to truth? | Deut 7:2 | charis | 24261 | ||
Dear Johnny, Greetings in Jesus' name! It is true that Jesus never commanded me to go to Afghanistan. But He did command me to submit to the earthly authority that HE placed over me. Also, he has placed a burden of wisdom and common sense upon me. Frankly, my friend, I won't even try to explain passages to you. I see that you have adequately explained them to yourself, and haven't shown much interest in the 'sum' of Scripture. Indeed, life in Christ is not easy. Sometimes, pacifism is simply the denial of practical reality. I am not 'for' war, and pray for a quick end to this conflict. But neither can I deny that if we leave things alone, we will soon see more terrorist violence. Fortunately, I am not in charge of things at a national level. I live at a 'local' level. The Bible clearly tells me to deal with sin with wisdom AND discipline. This I do in the church. I would no more allow sin to grow in the church than I would allow my family to be murdered before my very eyes. This is not revenge! It is just common sense. I do not preach an 'eye-for-an-eye.' But I do preach justice. Blessings and peace to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
316 | "Once Saved Always Saved" | NT general Archive 1 | charis | 24231 | ||
Dear Lisa, Greetings in the name of Jesus! I have been watching from afar (quite literally! :-)) these past few days, and am a bit behind in reading all the posts. However, this one caught my interest, because of your comment, '...you're Baptist? I'm Catholic.' I have been reading a few of your posts, Lisa, and I don't believe you are a Catholic, which is NOT a Christian. A Christian is one who believes in Jesus, the Christ, as his/her Savior, with no other gods, entities, or go-betweens. The term 'vicar of Christ' means "one serving as agent or substitute." The Catholic church also very clearly that membership in the 'authorized' church is necessary for salvation. Do you believe these things? Please note that I am NOT saying there are no Christians in the Catholic religion. I am simply saying that, though they wrap it in complicated, mystical teachings, the Catholic religion requires many things other that faith in Christ Jesus in order to be saved. Many in this religion do NOT believe in all those 'other' things. :-) As to our colleague Hank, I have never heard him explain himself as a Baptist Christian, but rather a Christian that attends a Baptist church. (formerly attended a Presbyterian church, as I recall :-)) My point is this: If we use the Scriptures in the way they were intended, we would all be Christians, with slight differences of 'flavor' or bent, not calling ourselves This or That. Bless you (with hugs, too!) in Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
317 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | charis | 23382 | ||
Dear Nolan, Blessings in the name of Jesus! I agree with you when you agree with me that we agree on many things, disagree on a few things and are not totally in agreement on analogies. Don't you agree? (your turn!) :-) I think I agree that the parachute analogy is not perfect (a negative result rather than a positive one!), but you DO agree that jumping out of airplanes without parachutes, while not strictly forbidden, is probably not a good idea, right? Josh, jest, joke! :-) If we all agreed on every point, it would be a sure sign that that Lord has already returned! In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
318 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | charis | 23336 | ||
Dear Nolan, Greetings my friend, in Jesus' name! If I may, I would like to point out that we cannot say that any book of the Bible was written specifically for the benefit of one particular audience, unless we say it was written for God's people. For us. Even James. As to 'salvation Scriptures do not mention water baptism,' you may be correct in a specific sense, but the correlation between the *saved* and water baptism is abundant! The *saved* got baptised because it is God's will. You are right that it is not a legal requirement, but strongly (Sripturally) recommended by God and His apostles. I don't know of any law that states you must not jump from an airplane without a parachute. But it is strongly recommended by physics, common sense and a desire to live! :-) I do not believe that water baptism is a prerequisite for entry into God's favor, but on the other hand I believe we do injustice to the Word of God to consider water baptism 'optional' or 'inconsequential.' It is not a frill or token. Are we perfect upon knowing/ being known by Christ? Or, is there a subsequent walk, a growth, a washing, a purifying, a purging, a cleansing, a learning, a following, a perfecting in the Holy Spirit that brings us to the final work of sanctification, the resurrection of the dead unto eternal life? Is this walk our salvation? No! Is this walk inconsequential? No! My friend, please note that my viewpoint is not theory or philosophy, but practical experience with real people. Dealing strictly with hypotheticals, perfection IS acheived BY GOD in His unlimited timeframe. In our limited existence, I have yet to meet any individual that meets the 'description' of a perfected, saved soul. :-) Peace to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
319 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | charis | 23332 | ||
Dear Tim, (IN) Blessings in Jesus' name! Not once did I say, or have I ever said that faith plus works equals salvation. Honestly, that is incindiary and a bit unfair to me, and misrepresents what I said very clearly in my post. (crying 'foul' and rolling on the pitch :-)) I agree with you that this is not what James is speaking to us. But, at the same time, "faith works' does not mean very much to me. At least, not as much as what is clearly written, "faith without works is dead." I any case, I do not see that there is any difference in what you are trying to say, and what I tried to say, except maybe trivial semantics. So, in my (sometimes) humble opinion, we agree! :-) I am not sure, though, if YOU think we agree. (?) To clarify this point, do you believe we are 'perfected' at the moment of confession of/ apprehension by Jesus? Though this is a quaint theory, I have yet to see *observable* evidence of this assertion. Instead, I see abundant evidence that we 'grow in Christ.' (Ephesians 4:15, 2 Peter 3:18) Please carefully note that I truly and completely believe that the only 'minimum requirement' of salvation is faith toward God. Peace and love to you, my friend. In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
320 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | charis | 23328 | ||
Dear Tim, Greetings in Jesus' name! Brother, If I were asked how are we saved, I would have to say that we are saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) Is anything else 'required' by God? No! But, I am also well aware that God desires so much more of His people! You are correct, the book of James (2:22) very clearly shows that our faith is perfected in our subsequent works! Can any of these works alone commend us to God apart from faith? No, not a one! Can any combination or amount of works apart from faith save us? No! Therefore, we are saved by grace through faith, AND our good works, in faith and by the Holy Spirit, perfect our salvation. In this light, I agree that water baptism, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of fire are ALL washings that facilitate our sanctification, which is the perfection of our salvation. I do not see this perfection as being 'automatic' upon confession of (or being apprehended by) Christ. Instead, I consider this perfection to be an ongoing process, as in "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling..." Philippians 2:12. In my humble opinion, God justifies us (sees us as holy) AND desires (and assists us) that we become holy. Some (many?) may say that we must choose one stance or the other, faith or works. I trust that James knew what he was saying when he wrote faith AND works. If I may say so, I think the problem is the word 'essential.' There are those that interpret this as 'required,' and go into conniptions. :-) Indeed, there are some that would say that baptism (and sometimes other things) are 'minimum requirements' for salvation. I strongly disagree with this belief! There is but one 'minimum requirement' for salvation, and that is faith toward God, the faith of Abraham. But, as we all know, Abraham stood up, set his face toward God, and walked the path to God. By the way, I am sorry to have to write like the Amplified Bible. I find it necessary, as some 'lay in wait' for a misquote or undotted 'i' :-) Blessings to you in Sud Afrika! In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
Result pages: << First < Prev [ 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ] Next > Last [37] >> |