Results 301 - 320 of 465
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Parable Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
301 | How to explain Jesus' exclusive claim? | John 14:6 | Parable | 44452 | ||
In John 14:6b, Jesus says "No one comes to the Father except through me." Many reject Christ, or have real trouble accepting Him because of His unique, exclusive claim. When witnessing to unbelievers, how do you explain to them why you accept His claim? And, in practical terms, what difference does it make to your walk with him? I'm not looking so much for bible verses that support the truth of His statement, but rather how you explain to unbelievers why this makes sense, knowing that they do not yet recognize the authority of scripture. |
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302 | How to show Christ is God? | John 14:6 | Parable | 44509 | ||
Excellent advice! If I may follow-up ..... Your answer hinges on Christ not only being the incarnation of God, a radical idea to be sure, but also that Jesus is ONLY incarnation of God, an offensive idea for many because it denies the legitimacy of other religions. This of course is the essence of our faith, but for unbelievers, it is perhaps the most difficult truth to accept. As I work in a highly secular environment, a university, I'm looking for credible ways to share the truth of Christ without depending on Scripture as ultimate authority, at least at first, and without assuming the person accepts that Jesus is God and that He is the ONLY incarnation of God. |
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303 | How to explain Jesus' exclusive claim? | John 14:6 | Parable | 44637 | ||
Many of Jesus' sayings are hard not because we fail to understand them, but rather because we understand them all too well. He is offensive because He challenges us at our very core, requiring nothing less than total obedience to God. Of course, because He is merciful, He forgives us for our failures to live up to this standard of perfection and graces us to grow to be more like Him. Understanding His claim is not the problem for many. My concern was how we can help others to get over their negative reaction and see it for the Truth that it is. The answers posted in response are insightful and speak to the practical experiences we can expect in our walk with Christ. |
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304 | How to explain Jesus' exclusive claim? | John 14:6 | Parable | 44640 | ||
Most definitely! In answer to your question, my journey to faith in Christ came like this: Looking for love in all the wrong places. Self-destructive behavior. Isolation. Using others. Spiritual emptiness, dispair. Increasing Awe at God's glory as revealed in His Creation. No way could it all be by chance. Invitation by a Christian to get right with God. Christian education, including reading "More than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell. Acceptance of the evidence and conclusion that Christ's resurrection is real, historical fact. Understanding what His Resurrection says about who He is. Conviction by the Holy Spirit that fundamentally, I am depraved, helpless and deserve death, and yet, God already did that in my place. Letting go of my sin, turning to God. Accepting God's forgiveness, endeavoring to "go and sin no more" and obey His commands to "love God" and "love others". AMEN! |
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305 | How to show Christ is God? | John 14:6 | Parable | 44641 | ||
Yes. Without God, we are depraved and deserve death! | ||||||
306 | How to show Christ is God? | John 14:6 | Parable | 44642 | ||
I agree with both of you. We must not compromise Truth in an effort to get others to believe it. | ||||||
307 | How to explain Jesus' exclusive claim? | John 14:6 | Parable | 47744 | ||
Excellent response! Clearly, you have the kind of insight that comes from practical experience. We should highlight this response somehow for those who later do a search on this topic. Thank you! |
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308 | John 15:2, "cut off" or "lift up"? | John 15:2 | Parable | 47483 | ||
My question is about how we come to understand the meaning of scripture. I use the example of John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (NKJV) Some have used this verse to support the idea that salvation can be lost due to poor performance as a servant of Christ. This idea is hard to understand in light of Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," and Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast." Also, the footnote on John 15:2 provided at www.biblegateway.com, suggests the word for "takes away" can be translated "lifts up". How are "takes away" and "lifts up" related? Given these questions, how are we to understand what Jesus is really saying? In his book "Secrets of the Vine", p. 33, Bruce Wilkenson offers this: "..a clearer translation of the Greek word 'airo', rendered in John 15 as 'take way, would be 'take up' or 'lift up'. We find accurate renderings of airo, for example, when the disciples 'took up' twelve baskets of food after the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:20), when Simon was forced to 'bear' Christ's cross (Matthew 27:32), and when John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God who 'takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)." He continues, "In fact, in both the Bible and in Greek literature, 'airo' never means 'cut off'. Therefore, when some Bibles render the word as 'takes away' or 'cut off' in John 15, it is an unfortunate interpretation rather than a clear translation." Clearly, Wilkinson is critical of the many Bibles that translate 'airo' in a way he does not accept. He goes so far as to say "in the Bible and Greek literature, 'airo' NEVER means 'cut off'." This is a bold statement, considering that so many Bibles do translate the meaning as 'take away' or 'cut off'. (See John 15:2 at www.biblegateweay.com and compare versions.) Also, he appeals to Greek literature, a non-biblical source, to support his position. Is it acceptable to question the Bible in this way? Is it acceptable to compare the Bible with other sources? I say YES to both. First, the Bible itself instructs us to "Test everything. Hold on to the good." -- 1 Thess 5:21 Second, the Bible often uses comparisons with life to make its point. Parables are the clearest example of how comparisons with things we already understand from life help us to understand God's truths. Third, Jesus' intent simply is not faithfully conveyed by "takes away" or "cut off". In light of everything the Bible teaches about grace, mercy and love, especially the redeeming work of Christ on the Cross and the meaning of His resurrection, the fact one verse may be translated in a way that is contrary to that global meaning should cause us to question that translation rather than the global meaning. Furthermore, if there is a reasonable way to translate that verse such that it supports the global meaning of Scripture, rather than confound it, we are duty-bound to examine the evidence in support of that translation and its consequences for interpretation. Given this responsibility, how does "take up" or "lifts up" faithfully convey Jesus' meaning? Wilkison explains it this way, in a conversation with a vinedresser he met. He stresses that the vinedresser wants each and every branch to be fruitful. Vinedresser: "New branches have a natural tendency to trail down and grow along the ground. But they don't bear fruit down there. When branches grow along the ground, the leaves get coated in dust. When it rains, they get muddy and mildewed. The branch becomes sick and useless." Wilkinson: "What do you do? Cut it off and throw it away?" Vinedresser: "Oh, no! The branch is much to valuable for that. We go through the vineyard with a bucket of water looking for those branches. We lift them up and wash them off. Then we wrap them around the trellis or tie them up. Pretty soon they're thriving." This is the understanding Jesus wants us to have because it is what the disciples and everyone else of that day would have understood. No one then would have accepted the idea of discarding an entire branch and neither should we. Pruning, on the other hand, is a different matter, and it is likewise understood to be loving discipline, not disposal. My questions to the forum? 1. Is this a biblical understanding of John 15:2? 2. Is there anything wrong in the method used to support this interpretation? 3. If you disagree, what do you suggest is the proper method and interpretation? Parable |
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309 | What then, is the meaning of John 15:2? | John 15:2 | Parable | 47485 | ||
The idea of comparing John's usage here to the gospel as a whole seems reasonable. Given that you prefer "take away" to "lift up", what is the meaning for us? Do you endorse the interpretation that if we don't bear fruit, we will be discarded? If so, please explain how this fits with the rest of John's theology. |
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310 | so "cuts away" means "prunes"? | John 15:2 | Parable | 47493 | ||
For the branches that bear fruit, I agree. But for those that does not bear fruit, the verse, by the translation "cuts away", seems to suggest the branch is removed completely. Are you suggesting that the fruitless branch is only being pruned, and not cut away altogether, in order to stimulate growth? |
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311 | What then, is the meaning of John 15:2? | John 15:2 | Parable | 47512 | ||
I've not heard this interpretation before, i.e. the barren branch is really a dead branch. To a vinedresser, there is cleary a difference between a dead branch and a barren one. If John meant "dead branch", why didn't he just say that? This is hard for me to accept because in this metaphor Christ is the vine, the source of life for all the branches. To suggest that it is possible for a branch in Him to die is contrary to the idea of "everlasting" or "eternal" life. It seems we would then be forced to suggest that those branches that died were never really "in Christ", as your examples may be interpreted, yet the verse clearly describes them as being "in Christ". Alternatively, if we accept that "barren" really means "barren" and not "dead", and "takes away" means just that, then we are confronted with the notion that we must bear fruit to remain in Christ. For confirmation of this, we could appeal to James 2:26 "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead", but I'm not sure this is appropriate. For James, deeds are in fact the fruit of faith, but he is talking about how we glorify God to others; faith alone is useless as even the demons have faith, v19. People are convinced by what they can see, faith in action. To me, John is speaking to theological issues, not the practicalities of daily living, so to take James remark to support this view of John seems like a stretch. However, the harmony of the Bible cannot be denied. To me, the best translation of "take away" is "lift up" and the best interpretation is that the vinedresser is working to bring the branch into fruition. I acknowledge this could just be wishful thinking on my part. Parable |
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312 | the barren branch never was a branch? | John 15:2 | Parable | 47525 | ||
In other words, as I understand the conclusion of the commentary you provided, the barren branch never was a genuine offshoot of the Vine. Is this an accurate description of what you believe? |
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313 | the barren branch never was a branch? | John 15:2 | Parable | 47658 | ||
I rather like Boice's view that "airo" means to "lift up" off the ground rather than "take away". To me, it is more consistent with the idea of branches actually being in Christ and His intention of making them fruitful. Otherwise, we must read into His words that some branches He referred to as "in Him" really were not or that barreness really means "dead", requiring us to explain how branches once alive in Him actually died or finally that He is expecting US, and not the Holy Spirit, to be the agent of our fruitfulness. Thanks for the commentary notes! Parable |
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314 | John 15:2, "cut off" or "lift up"? | John 15:2 | Parable | 47659 | ||
In v2, Jesus says "every branch of mine". In v6, He says "if a man does not abide in me". There seems to be a distinction between branches that are in Christ and those that are not. To me, it seems reasonable that they would not be treated in the same way. |
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315 | Would you have recognized Christ? | John 15:16 | Parable | 46002 | ||
Yes! I would recognize Him by His recognition of me, just like today. "You did not choose me, but I chose you..." --John 15:16 |
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316 | recognize Christ? | John 15:16 | Parable | 46060 | ||
Yes to both, sort of. Not only has He given us the truth, He IS the truth. We can do nothing for ourselves apart from Him, He has done it all for us, but not because He is "responsible" to, but out of love for us, by grace. There's another interesting point here; it has to do with the word "recognize". In a personal sense, to recognize is to identify as familiar. In a political sense, as in a public meeting or diplomacy, to recognize is to grant formal status or standing. I think your question involves both the personal and political senses of the word, not only when Christ recognizes us as his children, but also when we recognize Him as Lord. |
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317 | Recognize Christ? | John 15:16 | Parable | 46164 | ||
Christ revealed HIMSELF to us. There is a 1:1 correspondence between what He said, what He did and Who He is. It is we who make doctrines in an effort to codify Christ, to organize His truth in a systematic way. Of course, some people such as Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, can do this with authority, but it is we who must read and understand what Paul wrote. Think about how different people remember the same event. Each person has their own view of it and each person interprets what they experienced in the context of their human condition. For this reason, I believe we are unreliable witnesses apart from God, and this explains why there are so many different ideas about what the Bible teaches. Even so, there are several fundamental truths that all Christians hold, if they be true Christians. Such include the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the humanity of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, His resurrection, ascension and glorification. Regarding the interpretation of Revelation, I respectfully leave that to those who are much better qualified to speak about apocalyptic writing. |
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318 | Christ and doctrines revealed to us? | John 15:16 | Parable | 46181 | ||
We do believe in progressive revelation, such as the foreshadowing of Christ in the OT followed by His Incarnation. In that sense, different groups (in time) receive different revelations. Perhaps it would help if you provided some examples of Bible doctrines that are "different" or somehow conflict in your mind. |
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319 | Christ and doctrines revealed to us? | John 15:16 | Parable | 46761 | ||
Yes, progressive revelation is the continuing truth of God to us, not revision or correction to what has already been shown. Perhaps Pauls has addressed your question about the origin of "different" denominational doctrines: Romans 12: 4-5 "4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." But, he also exhorts us to be ONE body, not divided: 1Cor 1:10 "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." He explains the reasons we have these divisions: 1Cor 3:3 "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?" And finally, what we can expect on the Day of the Lord, regardless our denomination: 1Cor3:10-11 "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1Cor 3:13-15 "his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." To me, this means we should accept the role or function the Lord has assigned to us in His Body, including our relationships with the other parts, such that we not only understand our interdependence, but work together for His glory, and not try to glorify our doctrines. By this I do NOT mean that we should accept all religions or anything like that, but rather only in regard to the Body of Christ as recognized by His life in and through us as believers in Him. |
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320 | inmyheart, could Paul be sarcastic? | Acts | Parable | 49032 | ||
My first inclination is to say that no, Paul is not being sarcastic. When written, sarcasm is often misunderstood, even by those readers who are intimately familiar with an author and the situation under consideration. In sarcasm, the meaning is opposite the literal interpretation of the text and is hard to identify without extra-textual information, such as tone of voice, facial expression, gestures, etc. Perhaps it would help to know if there are any cases in which it is generally accepted that a biblical author has used sarcasm. Do you have any other examples? Parable |
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