Results 441 - 460 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# | |||
441 | another hypothetical, applied ethics | James 4:7 | Parable | 47917 | ||
Your point has merit; if we are to apply Biblical teachings, we must consider only situations the Bible would grant as possible for us to experience. In that light, we recognize that parables and allegories in Scripture cannot be taken too far beyond the main point(s) they intend to teach. If we do, we create the problems you have described. For example, we could debate the meaning of the oil in the lamps of the 10 virgins in the night. The point of the parable is "watch!" and the oil is incidental. Given that, in my opinion, Chynna's scenario, hypothetical as it was, is similar to a situation we often face, i.e. when we must "shake the dust off our sandals" and move on to the next town, knowing the people have rejected the Lord and what the consequences will be for them. In that situation, we are powerless to intervene directly on behalf of the unbeliever. I felt Chynna's scenario was designed to give us that chance. This is not necessarily unbiblical in that the Lord sometimes offers the opportunity to die for the sake of the Kingdom. Chynna's question asks us what would we do if given that chance and perhaps more profoundly, what would we want the believer to do if we were the unbeliever on trial? Regarding MY hypothetical, of course literally it too is "impossible", yet don't we face similar situations when we are in a position to help a stranger or enemy who is down and there are tangible benefits for us if we don't help them? My point in choosing the injured party to be Satan and the removal of evil as a benefit, was that the lesson of the Good Samaritan, like all God's truths to us, are not defined by circumstances but rather true for all circumstances, even the impossible ones. |
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442 | another hypothetical, applied ethics | James 4:7 | Parable | 47992 | ||
Your objection is noted and illustrates why considering hypotheticals can be instructive. I did not intend to imply that Satan was the source of evil, I meant only to offer an incentive for selfishness, which is always present in every situation we face. I agree that our disobedience is the reason for the Fall, yet in order for our choice to have meaning, there must be a real alternative for us to choose over God. We can choose life with God or without Him and by definition, life without God is evil and wicked. In line with your position, in Matthew 15:19, Jesus said evil deeds spring from our hearts. Yet, from whence that evil came to be in us is a mystery. We acknowledge that God's nature is not compatible with evil, yet also we acknowledge He is supreme. Fortunately, the origin of evil is irrelevant to its reality for us and to the fact we must reject it. Finally, while heaping insults upon his head is biblical, Proverbs 25:22, I submit that is not only reason to render aid. I cite Exodus 21:24, which limits revenge to be proportionate to the offense. Yet, in Matthew 5:39, Jesus tells us to submit to the offense and not retaliate at all and in 5:44, He instructs us to love our enemies. In the case of rendering aid to enemies, the OT would have us do kind deeds so that we may heap burning coals upon their heads, but Christ updates that by having us act out of love for them. Parable |
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443 | How to forget my hurts and pains | 1 Peter | Parable | 46057 | ||
Forgiving them and praying for them are a good way to start the healing process. You may never be able to forget, but it is possible that God can make it so those memories no longer have any power over you. I suggest that you pray for yourself, (In the garden, Jesus prayed for himself),that you can be delivered from the pain of these memories, that those experiences can be used through you to further the Kingdom of God, that your recovery and reconcilation will be a witness to others of God's glory! There is nothing wrong with working out your recovery by talking, unless it becomes self-serving. Don't make your experiences a topic for gossip, and don't talk about them with just anyone or in just any way. It is possible that you may nurture and revitalize these hurts by revisiting them without putting them to rest. For this, perhaps speaking with your pastor or a trusted friend who is mature in Christ would be helpful. If you choose not to discuss these things with anyone, I fear you may become isolated, cutoff from the Body, vulnerable to spiritual attack. The book of 1Peter is all about HOPE. Check it out. |
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444 | persecution, suffering, charity | 1 Peter | Parable | 76713 | ||
1 Peter 4:12 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." No one should expect to be free from suffering, and this experience will bring great joy at the glory of Christ's return. For us in the United States, we are being persecuted by the very nature of our secular culture, in subtle ways we may not even notice, which can be even more dangerous to us spiritually than physical violence. Along those lines, I feel that one way we in the US suffer is by witnessing the persecution of others from our very safe vantage point, yet short of military intervention, we are not able to stop it directly. Our suffering is made worse by our belief we should do more, yet we don't. Perhaps we feel we are weak or are afraid to make the necessary sacrifices, as if we in fact knew what those were. Perhaps worse, this fear keeps us from trying to find out what we can do to help, even in small ways. Finally, it would be perverse for us to think that, because God can provide a blessing to us through our suffering, we should accept or condone the persecution of others because we think it is how God may be blessing them directly and/or us indirectly. In any case, Peter's instructions are clear, we should rejoice in our participation in the sufferings of the Body of Christ so that we may fully appreciate his return. This is good for us, but what about our responsibilities to others? Hebrews 13:3 "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." We should not expect everyone to be in prison or under severe persecution. Those who are not in prison or being mistreated are instructed "to remember" those who are as if we were in their place. Given that we do remember them, what next? Hebrews 13:2, just before the prison verse, says "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it". We are to be charitable to strangers. Combining this with the prison verse,13:3, I infer we should be charitable to those in prison or under persecution. This seems quite practical because even though we may not be able to stop their persecution, there is almost certainly some way we can be charitable to them, however modest that may be. |
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445 | persecution, suffering, charity | 1 Peter | Parable | 77667 | ||
just clearing the board. P | ||||||
446 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177095 | ||
In his book "The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason", author Sam Harris suggests faith itself is understood as belief that transcends reason, yet at the same time is justified by appealing to physical evidence, such as the miracles described in scripture. (my paraphrase) Of course, Harris questions the historicity of miracles and suggests that the idea scripture is the inerrant word of God is merely because scripture says so, which he suggests is circular reasoning and therefore invalid. What does the bible teach about the nature of faith itself? And given this nature, what does the bible say about why God values faith, perhaps even more than love? (because it seems faith is a prerequisite to love) Finally, what does the bible say about Harris' suggestion that religion is the bane of mankind? Didn't Jesus also criticize religiosity in favor of relationship? Harris' book is a direct challenge to the most cherished tenets of christianity, indeed all religions, in that he is challenging all beliefs that depend on mystical faith. As per 1 Peter 3:15, how would the bible have us respond to this most fundamental objection to faith itself? |
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447 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177124 | ||
BradK, You asked "Why do we need to respond to Sam Harris?" First, because scripture commands us to always be ready to "...make a defense to EVERYONE who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you..." 1 Peter 3:15. Second, because he charges that faith itself is ultimately dangerous for humanity and lots of people are listening to him, see below. You asked "What credentials does he posses?" He is a graduate in philosophy from Stanford and is completing a doctorate in neuroscience, studying the neural basis of belief, disbelief and uncertainty. His book is an award-winning NY Times Bestseller and has received glowing endorsements from many notable figures in contemporary social dialogue. You asked "why should we listen to him?" Because he makes credible arguments that are persuasive to a vast audience. Essentially, his position is summarized on page 106, "Whenever you hear that people have begun killing noncombatants intentionally and indiscriminately, ask yourself what dogma stands at their backs. What do these freshly minted killers BELEVE? You will find that it is always -- ALWAYS - preposterous." He includes a detailed historical overview of many atrocities committed in the name of God, including by christians (the crusades, the inquisition) and by present day muslims (suicide bombings, jihad), and an analysis of the belief systems of several religions. He also describes that many of us so-called religious "moderates" have a hard time admitting that atrocities were rightly committed in the name of God because we ourselves do not actually beleive what our religions teach regarding what must be done with heretics, for example. That is, Harris charges that most of us conveniently disregard much of our own scriptures in order to live with our modern-minded selves, and we cannot honestly endorse the actions of those who do fully embrace and act on everything our scriptures command. Ignoring Harris' argument would be seen as confirming his hypothesis. So, how do we as christians give answer? |
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448 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177135 | ||
I am looking for a cogent response to a credible challenge to our faith. I accept your answer as a sincere contribution to that effort. I do believe that as christians we are accountable to each other for how we live, including the likes of Mr. Harris. I do agree that changed lives testify to the power of God, although Mr. Harris would propbably suggest that it can be explained just as well in terms of the power of the human mind in a particular state of belief or unbelief. As for Mr. Harris "asking", it may be that he has not asked, but his work inspires others to ask how the atrocities committed in accordance with the dictates of religious belief are justified, including the beliefs of christianity. As for my motivations, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." -- Proverbs 27:17 |
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449 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177136 | ||
This is another excellent contribution to the answer I seek. Thank you. | ||||||
450 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177158 | ||
Hank, as always I respect your views and how graciously you express them. I agree that SBF is not the place to debate the existence of God, but none of my original questions were about this. I thank all those who have so far provided excellent examples from scripture in response to my first two and fourth questions about the nature of mystical faith as it may relate to Harris' concerns. However, I do believe my third question about what the bible says about religiosity being a problem is within the mission of SBF. Indeed, I feel that scripture agrees that religion is a burden to the world, and this is why Christ came, i.e. to clear the way for relationship instead. I look forward to any responses that speak to this point. Peace, Parable |
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451 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177219 | ||
You have a good point. It shows the truth of the statement "If you're not confused, you haven't been paying attention." :) "religion" to me is as you suggest. my understanding of what Mr. Harris means by this term is not so clear, but I suspect his meaning might include more than mine. given the meaning you suggest, how would you answer my question? |
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452 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177223 | ||
yes, my understanding of Harris' argument is: faith in propositions that cannot be tested or for which there is no objective evidence, other than mystical writings, is inherently dangerous to mankind, and even more so now in an age when weapons of mass destruction are becoming more available to those who would use them to fulfill what they believe are written instructions from God to kill heretics or wage war on infidels, for example. My pastor this weekend delivered an excellent message that relates to this. About hating your enemies, he said "The more I hate to be wrong and the more I'm sure I'm right, the more I hate others who disagree with me, who are different. When I'm totally right and you're totally wrong, that could mean we're enemies. And we might have to kill each other for that." Harris says essentially the same thing, and adds that religious articles of faith, taken as divine revelation, leave no room for anything but absolute conviction in being right, because they come from God, who is truth, or so the faithful believe. Harris also argues that the benefits of religion are available by other means, so faith and religion are not necessary. However, instead of condemning faith, my pastor proceeds from this starting point to explain the deeper truth that God's power is made complete in weakness, that God's wisdom is foolishness to the world and that if we are to become more like Jesus, we must surrender our right to be right. Clearly, if people lived like this, the world would be much more peaceful. Furthermore, in contrast to Harris' idea that the benefits of religion are available by other means, I note that the truth of this teaching about weakenss can only be understood in light of the truth of Jesus. Otherwise, turning the other cheek and yielding to each other out of reverence for Christ are indeed foolish ways to live. |
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453 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177226 | ||
I must qualify my use of my pastor's quote: I use it in a slightly different context than he did, so any disagreement you have is with my application, not his. If you wish to review his message, it will soon be available as a pod-cast at "www.wordofgrace.org" To clarify Harris' thesis, he contends that faith itself is the problem, because it leads people to act on the basis of what they believe without any rational support, and historically those beliefs have been harmful because of the atrocities they have inspired. He distinguishes faith from the object of faith, because without the first, the second is impotent. Regarding your comment "the terrorist "suicide/murderer" is not showing agape love towards others". I agree, but Harris might disagree because he explains that if you truly embrace the articles of faith of Islam, killing infidels is virtually the only logical conclusion you can reach, as it is for their own good because it separates them from their Godless beliefs. Such is the reasoning that Harris is challenging. Regarding your concerns about surrendering your right to be right, my pastor also said "the power of weakness is not the powerlessness of helplessness, giving up and giving in to life. No, the power of weakness means standing in the power of God released in me when I totally trust God because I'm totally helpless" and "even if I'm right, making that the issue can make me dead wrong". I submit that loving others sometimes means not asserting our right to be right, that's all. Your comment about the benefit of faith is on point. However, I note that in his doctoral work, Harris is studying the neuralogy of the brain in order to better understand how it behaves in various states of belief and disbelief. He is very much a laboratory experimentalist in this regard. |
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454 | How do we respond to Sam Harris? | 1 Pet 3:15 | Parable | 177230 | ||
I love your analogies! | ||||||
455 | 1 Peter 3:21-24 what is this meaning..? | 1 Pet 3:22 | Parable | 191809 | ||
rabban, rather than advise to "scroll back", perhaps it would be helpful if you could provide the ID# of the post to which you refer, then suggest using the search utility? a simple select/copy of that ID number from your note and paste in the search box would be all that is necessary to find your other note. Peace, Parable |
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456 | 1 Peter 3:21-24 what is this meaning..? | 1 Pet 3:22 | Parable | 191822 | ||
Goto to any message in the thread and open it. Go to the bottome of the screen to find the outline of messages on the tree structured directory. Select the message you want to identify. When you read it from there, it should have the ID number at the top, highlighted in yellow. | ||||||
457 | love's sacrifice, God's grace to us | 1 John | Parable | 76712 | ||
1 John 3:16-23 "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." This is a hard saying not because we don't understand it, but rather because we understand it all too well. John understands our situation. He goes on to provide for us, knowing that all but a few will fall short of Christ's example and will not become martyrs. We are aware of the persecution of others, yet seldom sacrifice ourselves for their sake. We don't proactively seek/create opportunity to do so, and more usually, we withdraw to avoid those opportunities we could engage. What does John suggest? 1 John 3:17-18 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." From the reference to material possessions and pity on others in need, I infer John calls us to give our material possessions freely to others in need. He continues... 1 John 3:19 "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." From this I infer that when we feel we are not loving enough, because we don't willingly die for others, we can be assured that God accepts our sincere charity as righteous, for He knows our limitations and by grace forgives us for falling short. More importantly, this acceptance and forgiveness brings us closer to him, as John explains... 1 John 3:21-23 "Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." As we continue to grow in Him, we become more Christ-like and thus better able to obey His command to love others as He loves us. |
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458 | love's sacrifice, God's grace to us | 1 John | Parable | 77642 | ||
just clearing this from the board. P | ||||||
459 | Humility in OUR BiIble Interpetations | 1 John 2:16 | Parable | 51532 | ||
Amen. We should be humble in everything! Pride, the opposite of humility, destroys our relationship with God. James 3:13 "Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom." 1 Peter 3:15b "...to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." 1 John 2:16b "...the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." Parable |
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460 | How to love others as commanded | 1 John 3:11 | Parable | 108855 | ||
Love is a command, so think of it as something to be obeyed, which sometimes is not what you would choose to do on your own. Love is an action toward others that is guided by what you would want someone to do for you. Start out small, serve others without drawing attention to yourself. Give generously even when you aren't sure if you can afford it, yet remain a good steward of the wealth God has entrusted to you. Sometimes loving others unconditionally means accepting their indifference, rejection or hatred, allowing them to remain as they choose to be, however unjust, mistaken or tragic. Be grateful if you suffer for the love you give, as you are being blessed to suffer for the cause of Christ. | ||||||
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