Results 41 - 60 of 140
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Inquisitor Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
41 | When was the beginning? | Gen 1:1 | Inquisitor | 224791 | ||
I like to read the story of Creation in Genesis as straight forward and as simply as possible. For example, each day was designated with "morning and evening" so we can be assured that God executed His Creation in a mere six days. AND those six days each consisted of 24 hours as demonstrated throughout the rest of the OT. When a day was designated some other value, some other Hebrew word was used. To me personally, this kind of simple message of Creation demonstrates the full Majesty and Power of God. We do get to enjoy the after-effects. You may remember Naaman with leporsy who wanted to be healed very badly in 2 Kings 5. But when he went and visited that prophet of God, Naaman wanted God to come out on his terms and heal his leporsy as he thought He should. That's NOT God's Way; I like to think God showed all that Power and Majesty with Creation and did so in private without witnesses as He created man last. Yes, we have to choose between Creationism or Evolution. I hope this helps and God bless, Inquisitor |
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42 | What was the purpose of circumcision? | Gen 17:10 | Inquisitor | 223317 | ||
As Doc has stated "Why" questions concerning God and His actions are tough to answer. Besides all the good answers you've been given, I can only add one or two more comments. If one studies the history of mankind, one figures out rather quickly that blood has always been a big factor in making covenants between two parties, most of the time between two or more men. (You might remember in the movies about American natives slashing the palms of their hands and then shaking hands.) But when that covenant is between man and God, He outranks any man and He gets to the dictate the Terms and Conditions. Even Moses' wife recognized that his God was a bloody God and she was a Gentile. Ex 4:24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision. We need to remember that blood was a very important item to our Lord in all the millions of sacrifices that were offered to Him, looking forward to the Ultimate Sacrifice of His Son on the cross. When this circumcision is performed on a small child, the wound heals quickly and the pain is forgotten. We also must remember as was alluded to earlier Is 55:8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. One more side note: According to modern medical experts, there are many good reasons to circumcise males, i.e. avoiding cancer. AND the ideal time to circumcise is exactly 8 days after childbirth, because of the spike of vitamin K. Another endorsement of the Inspiration of God's Word. |
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43 | Who were the Canaanites? | Gen 24:3 | Inquisitor | 224806 | ||
Azure is right on target as to the identity of the Canaanites as they proved with their future fate from God through Moses and Joshua. But as to the why question, we're not given very much specific information. Of course later on, we learn that God wanted the nation of Israel or the Jews to maintain a pure bloodline for the introduction of His Son. Of course we also remember that He made an exception with Ruth as she became an actual part of that bloodline and she was a Gentile. As to the possibility of Abraham's knowing about this preference of God's pure bloodline, we can only guess. It does seem Abraham's mind was very close to that of God's Mind. Any thoughts from anyone else? God bless, Inquisitor |
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44 | why would christians have demonic visits | Lev 20:27 | Inquisitor | 225050 | ||
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45 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224834 | ||
Another good reason in addition to those you've been given is the innocence of children. Thus they're assured a place in Heaven. There are several verses confirming this but one of the strongest is from the Lord Himself in Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” As you've indicated it's sometimes difficult to understand all of what our God does and the decisions He makes. To that I can only respond with Is 55:8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. So we must simply accept the idea that our God truly is all powerful, all knowing much like a child simply accepts this idea about his parents. I hope this helps and God bless, Inquisitor |
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46 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224837 | ||
You're referring to a very old and continuing controversy, "the inheritance of original sin," in which I don't believe. I've been taught that these passages are referring to the fact that we're all human and will eventually need the saving Grace from our Lord upon obeying his Commands for Salvation. How do you rationalize and make these verse harmonize with each other (Matt 19:14) and God's Word? Tough controversy but I'm certain God's Word will prevail. God bless, Inquisitor |
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47 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224839 | ||
Dear and precious Azure, I can only respond with what I see in my Bible, NKJV, my preference: Jesus Blesses Little Children (This heading copied from the NKJV) Matt 19:13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. As you say, looking at the context as in reading a newspaper, we see the first word "Then" in verse 13 which seems to endorse the heading and the separation of this story from the previous "paragraph. (Yes I know, the original Greek didn't have paragraphs or chapters or verses. That's a modern innovation.) But I think my point is made. For assistance, I can only call on Matthew Henry's Commentary as follows Commentary on Matthew 19:13-15 It is well when we come to Christ ourselves, and bring our children. Little children may be brought to Christ as needing, and being capable of receiving blessings from him, and having an interest in his intercession. We can but beg a blessing for them: Christ only can command the blessing. It is well for us, that Christ has more love and tenderness in him than the best of his disciples have. And let us learn of him not to discountenance any willing, well-meaning souls, in their seeking after Christ, though they are but weak. Those who are given to Christ, as part of his purchase, he will in no wise cast out. Therefore he takes it ill of all who forbid, and try to shut out those whom he has received. And all Christians should bring their children to the Saviour that he may bless them with spiritual blessings. End of Quote In conclusion, it only makes sense for us as parents to look at our small children (as in my grandchildren) and readily admit that it is non-sensical to think that a small baby is born with this inherited sin and is therefore a candidate for Hell. This would be true since they're not able to obey God's Commands for Salvation. No, I'm sorry, I just cannot believe in this interpretation about Inherited Sin. But I'm still praying for God's blessings on you and your studies, Inquisitor |
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48 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224842 | ||
Dear Beja, Response to Psalms: In God's Eyes, all of mankind are like "children of wrath" in that our basic nature is to rebel. Look at the history of the whole world. War is the most recurring theme throughout our history. Reponse to Romans: As described by Paul, all mankind has indeed inherited the consequences of the fall of man and woman in the Garden of Eden. But that "fall" for each and every single one of us is re-confirmed when we reach the age of accountability (varies from person to person) and first decide to do or say or NOT do or say against what our awakening conscience tells us. This is just another example of one of God's basic laws of "reaping what we sow." It is inherent in man- and woman-kind for we can't possibly get away from our weak and sinful nature. That was proven by Adam and Eve; they had the very presence of God Himself and could come face to Face with Him, only because at that time they had no sin. (Notice this is one more proof that it is possible for a human being to be completely innocent and free of sin, absolutelly proven in the Face of God Himself.) But once they sinned, they could not face God and none of us have been able to do so since that day. Scriptures in support... Deut 24:16 “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin. 2 Ki 14:5 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. 6 But the children of the murderers he did not execute, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, in which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall be put to death for his own sin.” 2 Chron 25:4 4 However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin.” And Repeated in 2 Kings 14:5...Repeated by God for emphasis? Who knows but God Himself. Jer 31:30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. Eze 18:19-20 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. As I mentioned to Azure, this is indeed a very, VERY controversial subject which has been going on for a thousand years or more. How can either one of us, you or me reconcile these verses. How about if you take a shot and explain the reconcilation to me? Please I would beg of you. Please be sure to explain the ideas/thoughts behind your words as quoted below: We must be very careful with this doctrine, because at the heart of Christianity lies this presupposition: A man can be judged by the merits or failures of another. If we take away that concept we have taken away the very gospel we preach. How and why would our God judge one person by the merits or failures of another? Please explain as thoroughly as you can why this concept is so important to the "very gospel we preach." Looking forward to your response and God bless, Inquisitor PS: I'm praying for you and Azure in this discussion. |
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49 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224844 | ||
Dear Beja, It's difficult to respond to so many questions in one post but I'll try. ALTHOUGH I notice you didn't respond to the scriptures in my previous post as I did to your's. Quoted from Beja... Q1.So you agree that our basic nature is to rebel? That means the problem is not at the level of our actions, but of our very nature or disposition which then leads to our actions. Children have this flaw as much as any man does. As the father of a 3 year old I can assure you of that. As a father and grandfather, I can agree that our kids can be a major pain when they don't get their way. But don't you see, they don't see anything wrong with that screaming, hollering and misbehaving. All they know they're not getting what they consider they gotta have. But later on, maybe as soon 10, 11 or 12 years of age, they begin to put two and two together and see the difference between right and wrong. So this growing and learning is a process through which all of us mankind go, in our maturing. Q2. I deny that adam and eve had this same flaw. I could not tell from your post if you agree with that point. However, if that also is granted then what shall we say? Every one with us are born with the natural inclination to sin and rebel, and that we inherit from Adam. God doesn't create ANYTHING with a sinful or evil nature in it. Don't you see that in the Creation account of Genesis? EVERYTHING Created by God "was good" and He was satisfied with His Creation including His newly created Adam and Eve. BUT they grew in knowledge and learned about the attractiveness of sin and disobeyed God. That's where we ALL go wrong. We ALL violate our conscience. We all look at the options/choices in our lives and weigh the advantages of making the good vs bad decisions. Good decisions almost always include a sacrifice of some kind and thus one child chooses NOT to share his cookie or his toys with his sibling. And on it goes in spite of the teaching and spanking from the parents. The child learns to conceal his decisions and the consequences thereof. Don't you see, the initial birth of a child from God (just like His Creation in the Beginning) is perfectly innocent from all sin. That child has no consciousness about right from wrong; how could anyone argue against this? Q3.And when did Adam obtain this flaw? When he first chose to sin. How can we but say that each and every one of us are cursed with this rebelious and sinful nature as a result of Adam's sin? I tried to explain this above but one has to see that this spirit of rebiliousness varies from one person to another. We all have different parents and different environments from which we learn right and wrong. BUT we can also learn to be clever and get away with our rebellious life for a little while. But sooner or later, either mankind or God will catch up with that person and he will "reap what he sows," either in this life or the one hereafter. Q4.So the end result is that even a newborn infant, because of the sin of Adam is a little sin factory. By nature even that infant is deep down inclined to sin. NO, NO, NO...that's what I've been saying. The child is innocent but he learns to be sinful and rebellious against the good things in life and later on against God's Good Will. Q5.They don't have to wait and make a choice to have that inclination. And is that inclination itself not sinful? Our very disposition is sinful, not merely our actions. This inclination as you're referring to above is true but it doesn't manifest itself in a child with actual intent until his early teens or maybe 11 or 12. He doesn't actually start scheming and hatching "evil" plans to get his way until this stage of his life. This is what I'm trying to get across to you. How can you possibly look into the face of a sweet, innocent two month old baby and call that sweet child evil, down deep inside? God forbid. Please tell me you don't really believe this way. Azure, do you have anything to say about this? Do you have some way of reconciling the conflicting verses I've provided in my previous post? I'm anxiously awaiting such responses from both of you, Beja and Azure. I do hope you and all who are reading might respond with their thoughts. Please do. God bless all of you, Inquisitor |
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50 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224878 | ||
Beja, Searcher, Tim, Doc, Ariel and Azure: I knew this was going to be a very, VERY controversial subject. I agree, there are some very difficult scriptures from God's Word leading one to conclude certain things about this idea/concept of "Original Sin" from Adam and its inheritance to all men. But don't you see just as I tried to explain in my previous post, 224842 to Beja, there are just as many scriptures in support of this other concept, "Innocence of Children" before God. In addition, there are many, many christians who believe just as I do on this matter. Are we to conclude that God is a God of contradiction and confusion. "No and may it never be." We just don't have a clear interpretation of the whole. When I look at a child and think about this problem logically, I must spend much time in prayer asking for God's help to understand this conundrum. I must agree that we'll probably never agree and thus I'll probably never persuade any of you but I must state the Truth as I understand It and as I've been taught by some great Bible students, just as you all have stated. As far as I'm concerned, I'm ready and willing to close this very difficult thread of discussion but I'm still praying God's richest blessings on you all. Inquisitor |
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51 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224880 | ||
Quoted from BradK, Therefore, logically, there cannot be "Innocence of Children" and Original Sin! Where are the supposed many sciptures that support this concept! To what scriptures do you refer? They were cited in 224842. I'd be interested in how you reconcile these verses with the ones about "Original Sin." But I really don't want to debate the issue but I will be watching resulting posts. I sincerely appreciate your interest in this discussion. God bless, Inquisitor |
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52 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224890 | ||
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53 | Why the children? | Num 33:55 | Inquisitor | 224891 | ||
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54 | Lying justified? | Josh 2:5 | Inquisitor | 225022 | ||
Quoted for reference: James 2:25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? This passage in my mind makes it fairly clear that God blesses Rahab and her actions. So how do we reconcile this lying business with God's directives NOT to lie. I'm thinking of another verse that seems applicable. Acts 4:18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Yes, indeed God expects us to live up to high standards which includes being truthful BUT when it involves dealing with evil men who have no intention of following God's Way, then we must choose. Who to follow? God or some person(s) who is bent on disobeying God. Rahab made the right choice and saved her life and her family. AND as has been mentioned, she even became a part of the lineage of Christ. What an honor! So we must conclude that when we're faced with such a contest like so many of God's heros in His Word, then we must do what God says through His designated representatives. That's why we have rebels throughout our world history like George Washington and Patrick Henry who were willing to give all they had and their very lives to a certain goal. Am I saying these men are going to be saved by God and are going to Heaven? No I'm afraid I don't have that information but I'm proud our forefathers were willing to pay such costs as did our hero Rahab. All over the world, we have those rebels who are defying their country's laws and directives because it's pretty clear they go against God's basic laws and their conscience. So they choose to obey their conscience and hopefully the same God we're serving. I hope this clarifys the issue a little more. God bless, Inquisitor |
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55 | 2 people Dalila paid 2 know sampson st | Judg 16:5 | Inquisitor | 225023 | ||
I just have to ask. These four questions you've just posted to the Forum seem like homework from a class. You wouldn't be asking us to assist you with your homework, now would you? Please advise. God bless you in your studies, Inquisitor |
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56 | I am sick of love? | 1 Kin 11:1 | Inquisitor | 223358 | ||
I can only imagine Solomon probably wrote this Book, Song of Solomon AFTER he received this indictment from His Lord, see below. You remember of course, how Solomon acquired so much wisdom and riches. If not, you need to read the whole of 1 Kings. To go from such a lofty place in God's sight to such a low place had to have made him very, VERY sick indeed. 1 Kg 11:1 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. 8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded. 11 Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. 12 Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.” |
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57 | Men of God | 1 Kin 13:1 | Inquisitor | 223406 | ||
What can we learn from this very unusual story from God? What would you say is the most important point for us to apply to our lives? God bless you all -- Inquisitor |
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58 | Men of God | 1 Kin 13:1 | Inquisitor | 223407 | ||
Sorry, I thought I inserted the scripture reference (the whole chapter) but apparently was done incorrectly. Inquisitor |
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59 | Man of God | 1 Kin 13:1 | Inquisitor | 224566 | ||
Re: the whole of 1 Kings 13 What can we learn from this very unusual story from God? What would you say is the most important point for us to apply to our lives? God bless you all -- Inquisitor |
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60 | Man of God | 1 Kin 13:1 | Inquisitor | 224571 | ||
This passage has been studied previously on the Forum but I didn't see one particular point of which I thought when I read this chapter. It struck me right away. I will say you're very close. I hope to get some other responses and then will discuss this, my point with all of you. Appreciate your post. God bless you, Inquisitor |
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